Has anybody had experience with people that removed the designers, sponsors and powered by phpLD links in the footer of free sponsored templates?

I have sponsored two phpLD templates so far and it gets a bit time consuming dealing with people who remove these links.
I understand that this type of a problem is a given with sponsoring any type of free templates, but I don't feel that I shouldn't do something when I spot one.

When you send them a email requesting that they put the required links back into the footer as required, some do and some just give you some pretty lame excuses.

I was considering blogging about such individuals and just letting people know that they may not want to do business with such people who take such shortcuts, etc.
While, this does interest me to do this, I wonder if I would be opening up another can of worms.

If anybody has some ideas, it would be very helpful..

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well, what about the other way around, I paid for my phpLD template and had a lot of trouble to get those links out. they didn't gave me the template without it and those links were all over the place, so I had to remove them myself, while I did pay for it !

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Abso-bloody-lutely FREE directory :: Online Internet Marketing Services -> Manual Submissions

I don't design templates, I just sponsor them. When I have custom templates made for me, I get the designer to agree to remove the designer credits from the footer.

That works the best for me and less troubles down the road.

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Ask them for their paypal email and send them a payment request.

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Motorology Network - Website Traffic Reseller - Sponsored Themes -

If people are bad enough to take away the footer attributes there's no way are they going to pay for them. For what its worth my view is that you shouldn't sponsor templates as its causing duplicate content which ain't helping the directory scene. The only one' I know have succesfully locked in the template is the phpLynx people but even they don't like doing free templates because of the dupe issue.

-MGS-

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Directory-Owners: The straight talking forum.
I recommend the phpLynx Business Directory Script

I have to agree that if they remove footer attributes, they wouldn't pay a fee to remove them.

To me if there weren't sponsored templates, then maybe more people would get a custom template made if they are a serious directory owner. Maybe, providing free templates just adds to the problem and makes if easy for such people to start directories that are looking for a fast buck.

For the most part, I figure that it isn't worth sponsoring phpLD templates. One of my main reason is, I need to spend more time promoting my directories than spending time dealing with people that do this kind of stuff. Most likely, they will be short term because of building their directories on such a weak foundation.

As far as duplicate content, I hadn't thought about that. Will have to give some more thought to that one.

Thanks...

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I agree with all the above.

-MGS-

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Directory-Owners: The straight talking forum.
I recommend the phpLynx Business Directory Script

You guys are thinking of directories... I am thinking of Wordpress. Yes, I know this is a directory forum

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Motorology Network - Website Traffic Reseller - Sponsored Themes -

It doesn't matter what its for it can be protected and shouldn't be abused.

-MGS-

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Directory-Owners: The straight talking forum.
I recommend the phpLynx Business Directory Script

Sometimes these same people are also in violation of the phpLD license. If you get one like this, contact me, as I can often get them shut down (sometimes they can even lose their domain name).

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